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Episode 22 - The Man Who Hates Shinigami!

As Ichigo looks at the man who has shocked Jidanbou into shivers, he asks who he is, and Yoruichi replies that it is 3rd Squad Captain, Ichimaru Gin. A large wound opens suddenly on Jidanbou’s forearm, blood gushing out of it. Jidanbou releases the gate, which then starts to crash down on him, not closing fully only because he uses his body to support it. Ichimaru says that it isn’t right – the gatekeeper isn’t there to open the gate. As Jidanbou winces in pain, Yoruichi says that they were careless, not expecting a captain to come this far out. A captain-level opponent will be too hard for Ichigo and friends. Fighting Ichimaru now is a worst-case scenario that must be avoided. Jidanbou says that he lost – a defeated gatekeeper opening the gate makes perfect sense. Ichimaru walks up to him, saying that a defeated gatekeeper doesn’t open any gate, defeat equals death.

Ichigo lunges at him with Zangetsu, but Ichimaru blocks it with his Zanpakutou. Ichigo demands to know what Ichimaru is doing, and Yoruichi is thinking the exact same thing – about Ichigo. Ichigo tells Ichimaru that he shouldn’t come out later and give orders, calling him fox-faced. Any piece of shit that attacks an unarmed man without a second thought deserves death. Ichimaru asks Ichigo if he isn’t scared of him, and Ichigo replies that he isn’t – not one bit. Yoruichi asks him to retreat for the time being, but Ichigo refuses, saying he’ll end it in a second. Ichimaru, hearing Yoruichi call Ichigo’s name, asks if he is Kurosaki Ichigo, and when Ichigo confirm so, says that it really is him. He turns and walks back, saying that is more reason for him to not allow him entrance. Stopping, he holds out his Zanpakutou, and Ichigo asks him if he plans to throw that wakizashi from where he is. Ichimaru glances at him, saying that it is his Zanpakutou. Turning around sharply and doing a pose, he says, “Shoot him dead, Shinsou!” The blade extends greatly, and Ichigo manages to block it with Zangetsu. However, the force rams him into Jidanbou, and both are pushed outside the Seireitei. The door closes on them and Ichimaru waves them goodbye.

Ichigo gets up and looking at the closed gate, apologizes to Yoruichi for letting the gate close. Yoruichi says that with Ichimaru Gin as an opponent, it is understandable, and tells him to be grateful he isn’t injured. Ichigo picks up his Zanpakutou once more and tells Orihime to patch Jidanbou up, then sees that all the denizens are looking curiously at them. Yoruichi explains that they were hiding till now because of fear – souls not led to Soul Society by Shinigami are called Ryoka and are thought to be bad luck. Ichigo and company are all ready to fight as an old man walks out and tells them to wait, bowing. He introduces himself as the chief of Rukongai, and he was watching the entire episode just now. As Jidanbou’s saviors, he would like to welcome all of them. Someone from the crowd says that there are many arrogant, annoying Shinigami, but Jidanbou, being from Rukongai, always treated them kindly. Ichigo must be a good person, having gone against Ichimaru to protect Jidanbou. He comments that Jidanbou’s wound is rather a bad one, Orihime says that they can rest assured – she’ll heal the wound.

Ichigo is surprised by her words, and to show him what she means, she holds her hands out and calls, “Shun’ou, Ayame,” The two pup out of her hair pins and she asks them to lend her their powers. “Sacred Dual Return Shield! I reject!” Ayame and Shun’ou form a pod and descend onto Jidanbou’s arm, and, to the amazement of the by-standers, starts to heal the wound. Ichigo is impressed and asks her when she attained such a power. They suddenly hear a familiar voice coming from amongst the throng of people, and a little boy pushes his way out of the crowd. Spotting Chad, he introduces himself as Shibata the cockatiel.

Chad is carrying Shibata around like old times, but he comments that Shibata has gotten a little heavier. Shibata says that he hasn’t – it’s only because Chad had only known him as a cockatiel. Here, he doesn’t change at all, and is the same as when he first came here. Chad hesitates before asking Shibata about his mother, but Shibata just says that they have reached his house. He says that it’s shabby, but nice and breezy in the summer, and, the people in his family are all nice. A boy walks up behind them and tells Shibata that “mum and dad” were worried about him. Chad is puzzled, and Shibata says that this is Horiuchi Hironari, somewhat like his big brother. Chad is still puzzled, and as they sit on a bridge watching the fish in the river, Horiuchi explains that in Rukongai, most people don’t know each other, and so form family-like cooperative groups to make a living. People with different times and places of death, all in one big melting pot, is how he describes it. It is rare to be reunited with family members that died earlier. In answer to Chad’s question, he says Shinigami don’t bring together families. He, for one, died in 1947 in Yamanashi, very far from Shibata in both year and location. Chad asks Shibata if he has met his mum yet, and he replies that he hasn’t, but is searching. Horiuchi comforts him by saying that there’s still them, and tells Chad not to worry – everyone is like that when they first arrive, but as time goes on, that will change.

Shibata begins to cry, telling himself that his mother and he will never meet again. Chad tells Horiuchi that he’d like to spend more time with Shibata, and he agrees, saying that he will inform the family. The sun is setting and the sky is orange. Chad is walking along the streets of Rukongai with Shibata sitting on his shoulders. The latter asks the former why he is here, if he didn’t die. Chad says that he too, wonders. Shibata spots Ichigo sitting on a high roof, and asks Chad if that isn’t his Shinigami friend. He says that even if he sits that high, he wouldn’t be able to see anything past the gate. Chad says that’s the type of guy Ichigo is – he never gives up. The lights around Rukongai begin to be turned on one by one, as Chad and Shibata sit on a bench outside somewhere. Chad tells Shibata that he was bout his age when he started to notice that his appearance and physical strength differed from others around him. Remembering the day he fought the Hollow with Karin, he asks himself what the power he has is. He wants to know, and he felt like if he came to Soul Society, he might find out. He wants to search for it by putting his all on the line.

Shibata comments that Chad is trying to be his best, and Chad replies that that’s why Shibata shouldn’t give up in the search for his mother either. If he keeps looking without giving up, he’ll find her for sure. They hook pinkies by way of promising each other not to give up. Ichigo is walking along the street, when he realizes Chad is behind him, not saying anything. He tells Chad to at least say something if he’s there, and Chad says that he’ll always be behind Ichigo.

Later, Ichigo is shocked that they won’t be breaking through the gate anymore, but Yoruichi says that they’re not giving up; they’re just avoiding the extra security which would have been added to each gate since one was opened once. Yoruichi says that if the gates are no good, then they’ll just break in by some other way. It asks the elder if he knows Shiba Kuukaku, as Shiba likes to change residences at the drop of a hat, and it is not sure where she is now. The elder clenches his fist as he repeats the name, asking them if they really mean to break in using “that”. They suddenly hear the sound of galloping hooves, and wonder what it is. Whatever it is stops right outside the door, throwing the rider off its back and into Ichigo and the rests’ midst. It is a boar he was riding, and it snorts as it walks into the room, its master scratching his head, dusting his pants and saying that his Bonnie-chan had thrown him off again.

He greets the elder, who asks him what he is doing here and to go away, then looks around the room at the “shocked guests”. Noticing Ichigo, the Shinigami, staring at him, he takes off his glasses and asks why a “piece o’shit Shinigami-sama” is here. When Ichigo ignores his question twice, he grabs Ichigo’s face and calls him a dandelion-head, asking him to say something. Ichigo’s response is a punch to the face that sends him flying. The boar-rider asks if he is trying to pick a fight, and Ichigo, fists clenched, says that that’s his line – he was the one who barged in here and started getting on his case. They start insulting each other

as the rest watch calmly, save for Ishida, who demands to know who that guy is.

“That guy” asks them if they really don’t know who he is, and when they reply that they don’t (Ichigo replying that he doesn’t even want to know), introduces himself as Ganju: self-proclaimed, the Deep Crimson Bullet of West Rukongai; self-proclaimed, Number 1 Want-To-Call-Him-Big-Brother of West Rukongai for 14 years; and lastly, self-proclaimed, Number 1 Shinigami hater of West Rukongai. Chad, Orihime, Ishida and Yoruichi are all surprised that all these titles are self-proclaimed, but Ichigo just calls him a loser. Hearing this, Ganju pushes Ichigo out the door together with himself. Chad, Orihime and Ishida try to rush out to help, but are stopped by Ganju’s friends, all of whom are riding boars. Ganju demands that Ichigo get out, as while he’s alive, he will not allow a Shinigami to set one foot into West Rukongai. His sentence is cut short by Ichigo, who delivers a kick to his face. Ichigo says that if he wants to fight, he’ll do so. Ganju curses him, saying that twice he has punched his beautiful face, and Ichigo retorts that the second was a kick. Yoruichi tries to stop him, telling him not to waste his energy on a meaningless fight. Ichigo replies that it was Ganju who started the fight, so go talk to him. Yoruichi curses Ichigo for getting so heated up over something so stupid.

Drawing a short little sword, Ganju says that he supposes it’s their destiny to fight. The elder tries to stop him, saying that Ichigo isn’t a bad Shinigami. Ganju retorts that Shinigamis are Shinigami – there’s no good or bad. With that, he charges at the unarmed Ichigo, but Chad manages to throw Zangetsu over to Ichigo just in time for him to block Ganju’s attack. Ganju says that despite the great size of Zangetsu, it doesn’t mean he can beat him. Using his foot, he draws a circle on the ground, stamps his foot and pushes Zangetsu into the ground as though the latter were quicksand. He kicks Ichigo away and then tries to use this opportunity to swing down his little sword, but Ichigo blocks it with his arm and punches Ganju once more. Ichigo flicks his wrist a few times, commenting that Ganju’s pretty tough for not being taken down by that. Ganju rushes at Ichigo again, but Ichigo dodges his fist by simply stepping aside. They then start fighting, each dodging or blocking the other’s punches or kicks, until Ichigo finally grabs hold of Ganju’s kimono, flinging him away. He tries to jump onto Ganju’s face, but the latter rolls away in time.

As Ganju tries his luck once more, an alarm clock on one of his fellow boar-riders’ back goes off, alerting them to the time: 9 o’clock. Ganju stops in his tracks, falling over in front of Ichigo. Ganju whistles and calls for Bonnie-chan, his boar, and Ichigo is suddenly overshadowed by something big and large…

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